2 Samuel 15

1Some time laterH1961H310H3651, AbsalomH53 provided forH6213 himself a chariotH4818 with horsesH5483 and fiftyH2572 menH376 to runH7323 ahead of himH6440. 2HeH53 would get up earlyH7925 and standH5975 besideH5921H3027 the roadH1870 leading to the city gateH8179.

WheneverH1961 anyoneH3605H376 hadH1961 a grievanceH7379 to bringH935 beforeH413 the kingH4428 for a decisionH4941, AbsalomH53 would call outH7121 and askH559, “WhatH335H2088 cityH5892 are you fromH859?” And if he repliedH559, “Your servantH5650 is from oneH259 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478,” 3AbsalomH53 would sayH559H413, “LookH7200, your claimsH1697 are goodH2896 and rightH5228, but the kingH4428 has no deputyH369 to hearH8085 you.”

4AndH53 he would addH559, “If onlyH4310 someone would appoint meH7760 judgeH8199 in the landH776, then everyoneH3605H376 withH834 a grievanceH7379 or disputeH4941 could comeH935 to meH5921, and I would give him justiceH6663.”

5Also, whenH1961 anyoneH376 approachedH7126 to bow downH7812 to him, Absalom would reach outH7971 his handH3027, take holdH2388 of him, and kissH5401 him. 6AbsalomH53H1697 didH6213 thisH2088 to allH3605 the IsraelitesH3478 whoH834 cameH935 toH413 the kingH4428 for justiceH4941. In this way heH53 stoleH1589 the heartsH3820 of the menH582 of IsraelH3478.

7AfterH7093 fourH7051 yearsH8141 had passedH1961, AbsalomH53 saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428, “PleaseH4994 let me goH1980 to HebronH2275 to fulfillH7999 a vowH5088 I have madeH5087 to the LORDH3068. 8ForH3588 your servantH5650 madeH5087 a vowH5088 while dwellingH3427 in GeshurH1650 of AramH758, sayingH559: ‘IfH518 indeedH7725 the LORDH3068 brings me backH7725 to JerusalemH3389, I will worshipH5647 the LORDH3068 in Hebron.’2”

9“GoH1980 in peaceH7965,” saidH559 the kingH4428. So Absalom got upH6965 and wentH1980 to HebronH2275.

10Then AbsalomH53 sentH7971 spiesH7270 throughoutH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478 with this messageH559: “When you hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782, you are to sayH559, ‘AbsalomH53 reignsH4427 in HebronH2275!’”

11Two hundredH3967 menH376 from JerusalemH3389 accompaniedH1980H854 AbsalomH53. They had been invited as guestsH7121 and they went alongH1980 innocentlyH8537, for they knewH3045 nothingH3808 aboutH3605 the matterH1697. 12While Absalom was offeringH2076 the sacrificesH2077, he sent forH7971 AhithophelH302 the GiloniteH1526, David’sH1732 counselorH3289, to come from his hometownH5892 of GilohH1542.

So the conspiracyH7195 gainedH1961 strengthH533, and Absalom’sH53 followingH5971 keptH1980 increasingH7227H854.

David Flees Jerusalem

(Psalm 3:1–8)

13Then a messengerH5046 cameH935 toH413 DavidH1732 and reportedH559, “The heartsH3820 of the menH376 of IsraelH3478 areH1961 withH310 AbsalomH53.”

14And DavidH1732 saidH559 to allH3605 the servantsH5650 with himH854 in JerusalemH3389, “AriseH6965 and let us fleeH1272, orH3588 we willH1961 notH3808 escapeH6413 fromH6440 AbsalomH53! We must leaveH1980 quicklyH4116, orH6435 he will soonH4116 overtake usH5381, heapH5080 disasterH7451 on usH5921, and putH5221 the cityH5892 toH6310 the swordH2719.”

15The king’sH4428 servantsH5650 repliedH559, “WhateverH3605 our lordH113 the kingH4428H2009 decidesH977, we are your servantsH5650.”

16Then the kingH4428 set outH3318, and his entireH3605 householdH1004 followed himH7272. But heH4428 left behindH5800 tenH6235H802 concubinesH6370 to take care ofH8104 the palaceH1004.

17So the kingH4428 set outH3318 with allH3605 the peopleH5971 following himH7272. He stoppedH5975 atH1004 the last houseH4801, 18and allH3605 his servantsH5650 marchedH5674 pastH5921 himH3027—allH3605 the CherethitesH3774 andH3605 PelethitesH6432, andH3605 sixH8337 hundredH3967 GittitesH1663H376 whoH834 had followedH935 himH7272 from GathH1661.

19Then the kingH4428 saidH559 toH413 IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663, “WhyH4100 should youH859 alsoH1571 goH1980 with usH854? Go backH7725 and stayH3427 withH5973 the new kingH4428, sinceH3588 you areH859 both a foreignerH5237 andH1571 an exileH1540H859 from your homelandH4725. 20In fact, you arrivedH935 only yesterdayH8543; should I make youH5128 wander aroundH1980 with usH5973 todayH3117 while IH589 do not knowH1980 whereH834 IH589 am goingH1980? Go backH7725 and takeH7725 your brothersH251 with youH5973. May the LORD show you loving devotionH2617 and faithfulnessH571.3”

21But IttaiH863 answeredH6030 the kingH4428, “As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416, and as my lordH113 the kingH4428H3588 livesH2416, whereverH4725 my lordH113 the kingH4428 may beH1961, whetherH518 it means lifeH2416H3588H8033 orH518 deathH4194, there willH8033 your servantH5650 beH1961!”

22“March on thenH5674,” saidH559 DavidH1732 toH413 IttaiH863H1980. So IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663 marched pastH5674 with allH3605 his menH582 and allH3605 the little onesH2945 whoH834 were with himH854.

23EveryoneH3605 in the countrysideH776 was weepingH1058 loudlyH6963H1419 as allH3605 the peopleH5971 passed byH5674. And as the kingH4428 crossedH5674 the KidronH6939 ValleyH5158, allH3605 the peopleH5971 also passedH5674 towardH5921 the wayH1870 ofH853 the wildernessH4057.

24ZadokH6659 was alsoH1571 thereH2009, and allH3605 the LevitesH3881 with himH854 were carryingH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430. And they set downH3332 the arkH727 of GodH430, and AbiatharH54 offered sacrificesH59274 untilH5704 allH3605 the peopleH5971 had passedH8552H5674 out ofH4480 the cityH5892.

25Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to ZadokH6659, “ReturnH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to the cityH5892. IfH518 I findH4672 favorH2580 in the eyesH5869 of the LORDH3068, He will bring me backH7725 and let me seeH7200 both itH853 andH853 His dwelling place againH5116. 26But ifH518H3541 He should sayH559, ‘I do notH3808 delightH2654 in you,’ then here I amH2005; let Him doH6213 to me whateverH834 seems goodH2895 to HimH5869.”

27The kingH4428 also saidH559 toH413 ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, “Are you not a seerH7200H859?5 ReturnH7725 to the cityH5892 in peaceH7965—you with your sonH1121 AhimaazH290, and AbiatharH54 with his sonH1121 JonathanH3083.6 28SeeH7200, I willH595 waitH4102 at the fordsH5679 of the wildernessH4057 untilH5704 wordH1697 comesH935 from youH5973 to informH5046 me.”

29So ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 returnedH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to JerusalemH3389 and stayedH3427 thereH8033.

David Weeps at the Mount of Olives

(Psalm 63:1–11)

30But DavidH1732 continued upH5927H4608 the Mount of OlivesH2132, weepingH1058 as he went upH5927. His headH7218 was coveredH2645, and heH1931 was walkingH1980 barefootH3182. And allH3605 the peopleH5971 with himH854 coveredH2645H376 their headsH7218 and went upH5927, weepingH1058 as they wentH5927.

31Now someone toldH5046 DavidH1732: “AhithophelH302 is among the conspiratorsH7194 withH5973 AbsalomH53.”

So DavidH1732 pleadedH559, “O LORDH3068, pleaseH4994 turn the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302 into foolishnessH5528!”

32WhenH1961 DavidH1732 cameH935 toH5704 the summitH7218, whereH834 he used to worshipH7812H8033 GodH430, HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 was thereH2009 to meet himH7122 with his robeH3801 tornH7167 and dustH127 onH5921 his headH7218.

33DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “IfH518 you go onH5674 with meH854, you will beH1961 a burdenH4853 to meH5921. 34But you can thwartH6565 the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302 for me ifH518 you returnH7725 to the cityH5892 and sayH559 to AbsalomH53: ‘IH589 will beH1961 your servantH5650, my kingH4428; in the pastH227 IH589 was your father’sH1 servantH5650, but nowH6258 IH589 will be your servantH5650.’

35Will notH3808 ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548H1961 be thereH8033 with youH5973? ReportH5046 to them everythingH3605H1697 you hearH8085 from the king’sH4428 palaceH1004. 36IndeedH2009, their twoH8147 sonsH1121, AhimaazH290 son of ZadokH6659 and JonathanH3083 son of AbiatharH54, are thereH8033 with themH5973. SendH7971 themH3027 to meH413 with everythingH3605H1697 you hearH8085.”

37So David’sH1732 friendH7463 HushaiH2365 arrivedH935 in JerusalemH3389 just as AbsalomH53 was enteringH935 the cityH5892.